San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-01-03
WELCOMING THE NEW YEAR.
HOW SAN ANToNIANS GAILY CELE-
DRAFTED ST. SYLVESTERS
EVE

The Casino. Turner's, Arbeiter verein,
! Fireman's and Maverick Hotel
Balls, Private Parties,
Calls, Etc.
| The old years buried in the past
| The new year come. again,
Aud macy ask how will IL be
| OF pleasure or OF pain,
| What matters II So long as we
Do duty without fear,
And work in pa fence and in hope
To make glad New Year.
ST. syLvEsTERs DAY.
st. Sylves er day is one that Is best
| observed In the calendar, not because Of
any particular veneration for the Did
saint, but because IL Ia the day that
buries the old year and ushers In the
new, but Of the whole the eve, known
as ST. Sylvester Eve, is the part most
| observed, and the observance Is practi-
caily continued through the next, or
New Years day. The ancient custom
of cele brstion, introduced by the cary
English settlers and strengthened ny the
inundation Of German residents. are
| well understood and better appreciated.
because all have a common origin In the
Anglo Saxon.
| The celebration is one Of
| CoNvIvALITY AND PLEASURE
IN all English and German speaking
| communities. On this night. In the old
countries. and In the northern and east
| ern settlements, the lights burn brightly
| until the dawn, and huge fires roar up
| the homestead chimneys. On this night
all sons and daughters are expected TO
plant their feet under the paternal ma
hOyany aud chosen friends to fraterniZe
with them. The table Is laden with good
things, the glass goes merrily around.
songs are sung and many pleasant
| stories are told. but for all this. a0 eve
| is kept on the clock A little before
| twelve n huge bowl OF hot liquor is
| brought In. This Is what Is known as
the "Wsssel bowl" originated in the
Anglo-Saxon
wAEs HAZEL.
ITO your health" Generally the bowl Is
filled with hot punch, but sometimes
| Lambs Wool" that is hot spiced ale is
substituted for the former liquor.
| Glasses are filled from the steamlng
bowl, and glaze In band all wait and
listen. Presently the village church
chimes peal merrily forth announcing
the birth of new year. That Is
the signal. All arise, lift the glasses
high, cry on "A Happy New Year."
"A happy New Year" empty bumper
as a welcome TO the new guest and kis.
Sea are exchanged. Then usually in the
British Isles the group will join hands
and sing Burns Immortal sOng, "Auld
Lang Svne." At this time knock is
heard at the door and this is generally
some friend who impersonates the New
Year and brings with him gifts, in re-
turn for which he gets his first "footing"
and IL warmly welcomed. This visitor
| should. however, be q dark man, for
| that Ia indicative Of
GOOD FORTUNE,
| II he IL not, the superstition Is the re-
verse. Then friends come around sing
ing songs and partaking of good cheer,
and In some parts poor people go around
TO receive the gifts of their richer and
more fortunate citizens. In this custom
no doubt lies the origin of the wandering
biped known as the New Year caller.
The practice of giving and receiving
gifts dates from the Romans and Ia very
| popular with recipients, however ii may
tax The g!Trrs.
The old custom Of celebrating the new
year, properly observed. was a good one
inasmuch az 1t cementrd the family cir
Gle and promoted friendship. 1t has
been somewhat abused and that has
| tended to make it's observance rather
unpopular, but whilst it seems to be on
the wane il will be long before men for
| get to celebrate the new year in a jolly
| ard convivial way.
In San Antonio the advent OF the new
year was observed by the principal
societies and in family gatherings At
the
CASINO HALL
the associations annual ball was given,
aud it WAS beyond doubt great success
The hall was tastefully decorated and
above the stage were gas jets forming:
Farewell 1885. Welcome 1887" A
large crowd Of prominent citizens were
present. and the toilets of some the la
dies were very beautiful. The gentlemen,
| most Of them dressed In swalIow-tailed
coats. made very fine appearance. A
cordial feeling ran among the guests,
making IL very pleasant gathering
At midnight Mahncke proved he was
not dead by serving up a good supper.
| Dancing was resumed and continued IN
til late hour.
| TURNER HALL
Was very prettily decorated. under the
direction of Mr.. John A. Becku ann; the
| gallery and stage were drapad with
bunting and flags, and the side walls
| were relieved by decorated mirrors.
| The attendance was not SO large-in.
deed we miss-d and regretted the large
crowd that used to attend these Sylves.
ter balls, and make them joy to be re-
membered-but what IL lost in numbers
1t gained in cordially. Among the la
dies present the IGHT noticed Misses
Brian, Deussen, Hruerman, Becker.
Horn, Schuwirth. Chaser (of CibOl").
Haenpl. Buffers, Orhse; Mesdames Muei-
pndoTff.. Knox, Deussen, Zuschlag.
Orhse, and others. The Eighth cavalry
band furnished the music, and ,s'he
dancing was excellent. Supper was
served to the dancers at midnight and
all seemed to be well pleased with the
ball.
| THE ARBEITER vEREIN
was not much behind its richer breth-
rem In their Sylvester ball given at their
| hall. Here to were festive decorations
and above the stage was the legend,
"Wlkommen," (Welcome) That in
deed was the order Of the night. Friend
| ship reigned supreme. There was
good dancing and all appeared to be
enjoying really good time.
THE FIRE BOYS
| Of Fire companies No. and No. 2 he Id
their Sylvester ball In ScholZ' hall and
enjoyed themselves as only fire boys
can. Many ladies and members of other
companies were present and danced
| with a right good will. Among the